ARTICLES ABOUT LAKE BLUFF BY DATE - PAGE 4

The following items were taken from police reports. Lake Zurich A 39-year-old Lake Zurich woman was arrested on Dec. 16 at 8:06 p.m. in the 400 block of Tall Grass Circle and charged with DUI and criminal damage to property after hitting a garage door. Mundelein A 30-year-old Mundelein man was arrested on Dec. 15 in the 100 block of North Lake Street and charged with aggravated DUI for having a passenger under the age of 16, aggravated DUI for having more than three previous DUIs, aggravated DUI for driving without a valid license, endangering the life of a child, DUI, driving on a revoked license, driving without insurance, carrying illegal open liquor and driving on an expired registration sticker.

Lake Forest, Lake Bluff and Highland Park are looking to save millions by consolidating their dispatch services. The three municipalities have been working for the past year on a consolidation plan that would create one dispatch center. A third-party consulting firm has presented various cost-saving measures throughout the year, and now officials have narrowed their options down to a consolidated center in Highland Park that would be run by the city of Glenview. The move would save the three communities a combined $4.5 million over a five-year span.

Residents and businesses in and around Libertyville and Lake Forest are raising funds to help those affected the typhoon that destroyed parts of the Philippines. At a monthly meeting with businesses, hosted by Libertyville Mayor Terry Weppler, business owners began discussing ways they could help their communities and give back. This sparked an idea for Gary O'Reilly, owner of O'Reilly's Furniture and Amish Gallery in Libertyville. Libertyville Economic Development Coordinator Heather Rowe said while the village did not coordinate efforts between the businesses, they did give them free advertising on the village's website.

Lake Bluff residents will see their property taxes go up next year, after village officials approved an increase in the property tax levy. The 1.91 percent increase will raise taxes $78 for homes valued at $600,000, officials said. The total increase for the levy would bring in about $3.9 million, but the village will only see about $57,500 in additional funds to the village, according to Finance Director Susan Griffin. Officials said of that additional money, about $48,000 will go toward the village's police pension fund obligations.

In the digital age, bullying has taken on new forms and received greater attention. At a school board meeting Nov. 5, Lake Bluff school officials reviewed the district's bullying prevention policy and discussed changes and updates. The policy defines bullying and how it is to be addressed in school. Kevin Rubenstein, the director of student services and curriculum in Lake Bluff District 65, said the board is required by law to review the district's bullying policy every three years.

Lake Bluff District 65 officials said a recently-approved plan to restructure existing bonds will save the school district and taxpayers more than $2.4 million over the next 15 years. "The board was aware of the pending increase in debt payments in the near future, and were looking to address that in the next two or three years," board President Mark Barry said in an emailed statement. "However, some community members pushed the issue along with discussions of tax rates and fund reserves.

Lake Forest Consolidated 911 To save between $400,000 and $500,000 a year, Lake Forest is considering merging its 911 dispatch services with Lake Bluff, Highwood and Highland Park. Police, fire and emergency facilities, vehicles and services would not change. Officials are looking at three options: each town continuing with independent operations and making necessary investments in personnel and infrastructure; all four communities operating together out of the Highland Park facility and managed by a board of directors and an operations council; or all four communities contracting with Glenview and a back-up operation in either Highland park or Lake Forest.

Lake Bluff Elementary School and Lake Bluff Middle School are reorienting their curriculum toward wellness and better incorporating fitness and physical activity in the classroom daily. "We decided to bring a uniform 'let's get up and move'-type theme to the schools this year," said Dr. Jean Sophie, superintendent of School District 65. "We talked to the staff about the impact of movement and rigorous activity on student achievement as well as the social and emotional needs of kids, their attention spans and their general well-being.

Dominick's shoppers throughout Chicago's suburbs reacted with shock, anger and disappointment to the news that the supermarket giant would soon quit the area. Losing Dominick's, some said, marks the loss of something intrinsic and familiar, an end of an era for an institution with decades of history in the area. "For a long time, growing up, it was all Dominick's and Jewel Osco," Chris Borwankar of Glen Ellyn said as she loaded groceries into her car. "It's in my comfort zone.